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Rep. Shemia Fagan, D-Clackamas, speaks on House floor on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at the state Capitol in Salem, Ore. Shemia is the chief sponsor of a bill aimed at mitigating the damage from the problems at Cover Oregon.
(AP Photo/Jonathan J. Cooper)

The bill passed the Senate 25 to 5 and returns to the House for approval of Senate amendments.

House Bill 4154
would extend whistleblower protections to Cover Oregon employees and allow the governor to remove all Cover Oregon board members in a single
year. It would also direct Cover Oregon to seek a federal waiver to
extend the enrollment deadline by a month to April 30, and to seek
federal tax credits for small businesses.

"The roll-out of the Cover Oregon website has not met our expectations, but it hasn’t shaken our belief that everyone across the state deserves quality health care at an affordable price," Kitzhaber said in the release. "With this bill, we are showing that our Legislature is focused on finding meaningful solutions to move forward for the benefit of all Oregonians."